


You Say Go

by Ailette



Category: Produce 101 (TV), X1 (Korea Band)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Wooseok is having a bad day and just wants a hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-11
Updated: 2019-10-11
Packaged: 2020-12-09 05:17:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20989472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ailette/pseuds/Ailette
Summary: The thing is, some days are just hard. Sometimes, Wooseok will feel down, exhausted and tired in a way that has little to do with physical exhaustion.





	You Say Go

**Author's Note:**

> This is actually the first fic I wrote for this fandom, but I fiddled with it for ages. I've also been writing on something longer and am editing one more short fic, so, more is coming? I'm enjoying this fandom and ship too much to stop writing just yet. :)

With a sigh, Wooseok gets up from the hard studio floor and makes for the water bottles, past a pile of members close to the corner of the room. He can't even make out who's involved in that except for Dohyon, thanks to his hair sticking out. He shakes his head at them in disapproval, but none of them care or even notice and if he's honest, he's the tiniest bit jealous of that living clew.

The thing is, some days are just hard. Sometimes, Wooseok will feel down, exhausted and tired in a way that has little to do with physical exhaustion. Getting comforted and doted on is not a cure for that, but the idea of someone wrapping him up in a hug and holding him close until he can deal with it all for another day is something he finds himself almost physically yearning for. 

The problem is that he's thinking of one very specific person's arms when he imagines that embrace. He's not terribly comfortable with going around asking for hugs in the first place, but there is one person who will provide them with only the smallest of nudges; Seungwoo.

And therein lies another problem. While Seungwoo is definitely not someone to hold back on physical displays of affection (the opposite, really), the entire group is aware of this.

So when Wooseok looks over to where their leader is currently sitting, he has to suppress a sigh. Perched on his lap and happily rocking from side to side is Dongpyo, with one of Seungwoo's arms securely around his middle to make sure he doesn't fall off as he sings along to whatever song he's currently listening to on his headphones. 

Pressed to Seungwoo's right side, with his head resting on the older man's shoulder and apparently deeply asleep is their center; Yohan's nose twitching every now and then but otherwise dead to the world as he dreams.

And finally there's Eunsang on Seungwoo's left, a little bit of space between them as he sits there and absently plays with their leader's fingers; looking tired but completely at peace with himself and the world at large. 

There's literally no space left for him.

Despite the apparent serenity, the scene reminds Wooseok of a pet owner overrun by his overenthusiastic dogs. Seungwoo, trying to pet a dozen dogs at once, all trying to get those big hands to pet them first as they all but smother him in fur. 

X1 members would make for interesting dogs, he thinks absently as he takes a gulp from his bottle and then has to snort at the mental image of Yohan as a big black Labrador and Dongpyo as a Miniature Spitz.

Enough daydreaming, he decides, turning away and back to the choreography at hand. He's not going to begrudge anyone their physical comforts, even if it means he has to struggle by himself for a while. He's been doing this on his own long enough that he shouldn't need it, anyway. He should be better than this by now.

He misses the way Seungwoo's eyes track him, a slight frown playing across his features even as he doesn't otherwise move.

~~  
They're on their way back up to the dorm when Seungwoo suddenly appears next to Wooseok, brushing his arm as he matches his step to walk with him. It's unassuming and easily ignored if he wants to, but also an invitation to lean into it, leaving it completely up to Wooseok and it makes his heart grow to what feels like twice its size even before Seungwoo quietly asks, “You okay?”

Wooseok takes a slightly shuddering breath, suddenly feeling fragile and like he will just crack open if he so much as opens his mouth and that's ridiculous. He wasn't feeling that bad just a moment ago, would have been fine just going up and withdrawing to his room for some peace and quiet before the next grueling day. But now he can feel his eyes growing hot and so he just shrugs mechanically, hoping he's not as obviously falling apart on the outside as he feels.

But then there's the reassuring weight of an arm coming around his shoulders and Seungwoo slowing their steps until they're not up front anymore. He hears Seungyoun yell something about a race to the kitchen and midnight snacks and suddenly the rest of the group is running past them; Seungyoun hot on their heels and slapping Seungwoo's shoulder as he chases them up. Seungwoo smiles at him gratefully and gently steers Wooseok towards a different staircase from the others. Distantly, Wooseok wonders where the two of them will go if not the dorm; they can't exactly wander around outside.

His question is answered just a little while later when Seungwoo pushes open the door to the rooftop, peering outside into the dark quickly to make sure no one else is there before leading Wooseok up to the benches grouped together in the middle of it. 

He hasn't been up here before, but assumes it must be nice during the day; the whole city stretching around them. Now it's a little chilly and most streets are already dark, few lights left on and leaving him to wonder what time it is. He hadn't checked when they left the studio.

“It's already so late,” Seungwoo says just then, as if reading Wooseok's mind and steers them the final few meters to sit on one of the benches. “Sorry for kidnapping you like this, you probably just want to get some sleep already.”

Serious brown eyes meet Wooseok's as Seungwoo settles back against the wood. “You had a long day after all.”

“So did you. So did all of us, including the staff,” Wooesok returns and kind of wants to slap himself. Here their leader is, making an effort to make sure he's alright, basically doing exactly what he'd wished for earlier and he's being an ass about it. Good job, Wooseok.

But Seungwoo just smiles briefly at that, gaze going downward. “But sometimes the same day is harder for some than others and no one notices.”

It's the way he says it, so unassuming and soft, like he's just making an observation while he is actually hitting the mark directly; it makes Wooseok's breath hitch and nervously start fidgeting with his jeans. He'd calmed down a bit on the way up, but his nerves are still frazzled.

When he doesn't reply or look up, Seungwoo continues evenly. “Especially in a world like ours it can be hard to share and open up. You never know who's watching and with what intention. They might see a weakness and exploit it – you're more aware of that than most.”

A brief pause and Wooseok is peeking up from beneath his lashes, only to find Seungwoo looking out over the dark city beneath them. It's like he's giving him privacy while also trying to comfort him, making it easy for Wooseok to turn away and pretend he doesn't know what incident he's referring to. It makes it easier for him to give a tiny nod before peering at his shoes again, even as he knows Seungwoo doesn't see it.

“But I want you to know that at least with the eleven of us, there's no need to keep your troubles to yourself. We're in this together, no matter what happens from now on. We have your back and it's okay for you to not be perfectly collected and alright all the time.”

He jumps slightly when a warm hand comes to rest on his neck, squeezing lightly and making him look up to finally meet Seungwoo's eyes again.

“I don't know if you want to, but you can lean on me should you ever need to,” their leader says earnestly and Wooseok feels something flutter inside of him, something he's been doing his best to ignore every time it comes to the surface.

He knows he's nothing special for Seungwoo to pay attention to hi m like this, it's just what he does. Every time one of them looks like they're about to fall behind, he will silently offer support, picking them up and making sure they all reach their goal together. He has this way about him that makes it easy to rely on him without feeling guilty for needing help. 

“It must be so exhausting, taking care of all of us on top of all the work. Do we thank you enough for that? I feel like we just made you leader and now don't think twice about all the things that you do for us.”

Seungwoo, as ever, only smiles at him, shaking his head and ending up with his bangs falling into his eyes again. It annoys Wooseok a little and before he can think about it, he reaches out to push them to the side. Seungwoo's smile only widens, looking unbearably fond of him.

“I get all your love in return, that's enough,” he says and Wooseok whines at how cheesy that sounds.

“Hyung, I'm serious!”

“So am I.”

Wooseok sighs and fidgets, knowing full well that he really is. Their leader is ridiculous like that. And yet...

“If you ever... if you need... I mean, if you ever want to lean on someone, you know I'm here for you, too, right?”

Seungwoo's eyes widen the tiniest fraction before his hand comes up from his neck to go through Wooseok's no doubt messy hair, ruffling it affectionately even as he says, deadpan, “I think I would crush you if I rested all my weight on you, Wooseok-ah.”

That gets him an elbow to the ribs and he pulls back quickly to evade any other possible acts of revenge, but he's laughing as he does it. “Sorry, sorry.” 

The hand is back in his hair after only a moment, stroking down and ending up cupping his neck   
again comfortably. “I know how reliable you are, Wooseok-ah, don't worry. But thank you for reminding me.”

“I will just have to keep doing it so you won't forget again. I guess it's your age,” Wooseok says dryly, mask cracking however when Seungwoo throws his head back and laughs.

His eyes are sparkling when he looks back to him, mouth still slightly open in a wide smile and hair for once out of his face. He's the most beautiful sight Wooseok has ever seen. 

And before he has time to think about it, to maybe stop and change his mind, he leans forward to press his lips against Seungwoo's. It's quick and somewhat uncoordinated and he pulls back almost as quickly as he went for it, eyes wide and staring at Seungwoo, fingers nervously knotting together in front of him as he waits for whatever happens next.

Seungwoo doesn't give him any time to prepare though, leaning down after only a moment's hesitation, a hand coming up to cup Wooseok's face and angle him just right so that when he dives in for a kiss it actually deserves being called that. Their lips slot together easily this time, Wooseok making a surprised noise when Seungwoo seems to push forward only to let his eyes fall closed and concentrate on the feeling of the older man's tongue snaking into his mouth.

They don't really stop kissing for long, uncounted minutes, just adjusting their positions slightly and catching a quick breath every time before they dive back in; getting hopelessly lost in each other. Wooseok's not sure when his hands ended up bunched in the fabric of Seungwoo's shirt or when the one hand on his face was joined by a second, but he definitely enjoys the warmth when he becomes aware of it as they part and stare at each other again.

There's no uncertainty in either of their faces, but then their little make-out session doesn't leave much room for any denial or back-pedaling. And Wooseok must really be exhausted, because without any conscious decision to say it, he blurts out, “I didn't plan this!”

And Seungwoo, bless him, just starts laughing again, head coming to rest on Wooseok's shoulder as his body shakes with it and maybe, if this is the result, Wooseok needs to talk without thinking more often. Carefully, he wraps one arm around the taller man, pulling until their sides are pressed together from head to toe.

“I kinda figured it wasn't your grand plan to seduce me on the rooftop,” Seungwoo says, voice filled with mirth, making Wooseok shiver with how close his lips are to his ear.

“Just making sure,” he mutters, squeezing himself even closer as Seungwoo rights himself. It's too nice like this, sharing warmth in the cold. If he's not careful, he'll get addicted to this feeling. They remain as they are for a while longer, neither bothering to say anything. 

Maybe they should talk about it, put a name to whatever they are now or discuss how this might change things, but neither of them feels a need for it. Different from any relationship Wooseok has ever been in, this feels entirely certain from the get-go, no doubts in his mind that it'll be okay and this will work out.

There's no room for doubts with Seungwoo by his side.


End file.
